


The Way You Make Me Smile

by Sinesthero



Series: Horses, Hot Nights, and Hard Times [3]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: 1930s, F/F, Fluff, Sweetness, circus AU, i love these girls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 03:16:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11153106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinesthero/pseuds/Sinesthero
Summary: It's the anniversary of the day Janey and Athena first confessed their feelings to each other four years ago. Unexpectedly, Athena has made plans.





	The Way You Make Me Smile

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as an entry Borderlands Summer Bingo 2017! This story takes place in my 1930’s AU Horses, Hot Nights and Hard times and is technically a side story for The Ringmaster.  
>    
> Athena works for Ringmaster Handsome Jack’s small circus doing Impalement Arts (Knife Throwing) for her act. Janey is one of the mechanics that keeps the vehicles running. No other knowledge of that AU is necessary.

Janey Springs found that the corners of her mouth ached. It occurred to her that her lips had been stretched into an unconscious smile for most of the last few hours of her work. She could not help it. Though four years into their relationship, she never ceased in her gratitude for whatever fate had merged together her path with that of Athena, Mistress of Blades.  
   
Though thoughts of the indigo-haired goddess took up a good deal of Janey’s headspace most days, today was special. It was their anniversary.  
   
She was finishing a tune up on one of the caravan’s trucks. Splotches of grease covered her forearms, obscuring the lowest of her crocodile tattoos. Her face had a couple oily smudges on it as well where she had touched it absentmindedly.  
   
Janey held up the hood with one hand as she put down the stand. When it was pushed into its place she dropped the heavy hood down and reached for the dirty rag tucked into her belt.  
   
It was the last task of the day. Freedom was hers for the evening.  
   
Giddy, she hurried down to the women’s washing tent to get herself cleaned. It took her vigorous scrubbing to get the majority of the engine grease washed off of her, but she made more effort than normal.  
   
As she bathed she wondered if Athena would even remember that it was their anniversary. There was nothing formal. They never had a ceremony to mark the occasion of their union. Janey knew because it was important to her to remember. It was the day they had first confessed their feelings for eachother. They had subsequently made love in Athena’s trailer while at a stop in Oklahoma.  
   
Janey knew Athena loved her, even if she was not always the quickest to voice it. Taciturn, professional, and quiet, Athena rarely spoke about her innermost feelings. She showed her love in other ways and Janey was alright with that.  
   
The mechanic wore only a blue towel on the way back to their trailer. The dirty colothes were carried under one arm. Normally, she would have gone home first to get clothes into, but she was in a hurry. Their trailer was not far away, and no one in the Bartelli Brother’s Circus was fool enough to make an untoward comment to Janey Springs.  
   
The trailer door was open. Janey clambered up the stairs and was greeted with a rare and marvelous sight.  
   
Athena was sitting at their table wearing a dress. It was a pale, practical sundress with a pretty floral print in purple. Simple, brown sandals were on her feet. Her purple locks were pinned up attractively and festooned with daisies.  
   
Beside her on the table was a large picnic basket.    
   
“Hello.” Athena said softly. She looked almost shy. She had a different demeanor around Janey alone than in public. It was gentler, more open.  
   
Janey felt absolutely weak in the knees when she saw her. “Look at you!” She whistled and sauntered up to her, “And is this a picnic? Are we going to have a picnic?”    
   
“For our anniversary,” Athena seemed nervous. “I thought you would like it.” She rose from the table.  
   
“I love it!” Janey declared with all the sincerity inside her before dropping her clothes on the ground and stepping forward to kiss her . Her towel came loose and fell as well.  
   
Though Janey would have been more than happy to just abandon all plans and make love right there, Athena pulled back from the kiss and said, with a faint blush, “Get dressed. Or we’ll never make it out of our trailer.”  
   
Springs hurried into the back room and grabbed her nicest pair of blue corduroy trousers and just put on a pale waistcoat over an undershirt. A fresh bandana was put on to hold held her hair back from her eyes. She quickly applied a couple replacement bandaids to cover the cuts on her nose and cheek. “I’m so excited, Athena. I… wasn’t really sure you’d remember.”  
   
“I’m sorry I forgot last year.” Athena sounded sheepish.  
   
“Oh… psshh. Don’t worry. I’m not upset.” She put on a headband to keep her hair out of her face. “I know you love me.”  
   
“With all my heart.” Athena said quietly. She peeked into the picnic basket as if making sure its contents had not changed in the five minutes since she last checked it.  
   
“I love you too.” When she stepped back into the front Athena handed her a woolen blanket.  
   
She kept the picnic basket to carry.  
   
When they exited the trailer, their free hands found each other and they walked along the edge of the camp.  
   
The circus was quiet. It was getting on in the evening, so most folks were at the chow tent on the other side of the campground. There was no one around to stop the women from walking out across the meadow, away from the other members of their mobile community.  
   
“This is very sweet, Athena. I’m a little speechless.” Janey said, sure she was blushing.  
   
“No. You’re sweet. I’m… sour. I don’t mean to be. I know it's been a few years now but… I’m still not sure what I am doing half the time. Am I a good girlfriend?”  
   
“Relax, Athena, you're a wonderful girlfriend.. This whole plan is sweet... Gosh, you’re the only girl I’ll ever want.” Janey’s smile was happy enough to make Athena blush when she glanced over. “I remember when I took this job. I remember seeing you for the first time.”  
   
Athena judged that they had lighted upon the proper spot for the picnic. She set down the basket and took the blanket from Janey, wasting no time in spreading it out while she listened to Janey speak.  
   
Janey grinned, “You were wearing that purple body suit. The really tight one and it just outlined your… everything...  and you were throwing knives at Fiona on the wheel.” She picked up the picnic basket, stepped out of her shoes with a little help from the opposite toe on the heel and settled down on the blanket.  
   
Athena grinned, “She’s a good target girl.”  
   
“Well, we both know she’s a fine looking girl… and she was wearing some racy number but you… you made my heart beat so loud I thought it was going to burst through my chest.”  
   
“I miss the wheel,” Athena observed, though she offered no further commentary. Instead she busied herself with diving into the picnic basket. She withdrew a wine bottle and two sturdy tumblers.  She lay them side by side on the blanket and then withdrew a wood handled corkscrew and expertly removed the cork.  
   
“You know I’d be your target girl for the wheel in a heartbeat,” Janey offered, as she had before.  
   
“What? No... “ She poured them each a little wine, “You would be an amazing, beautiful target girl, but I could never let you be one, even though I know you trust me. I don’t trust myself enough to throw things at you. Much less on the wheel.”  
   
Janey took her glass and just smelled the strong scent of the red wine. She could never tell if wine was good wine or bad wine. It was just wine. It did the trick. She took a long sip. “I suppose. You know, that night I nearly prayed that you liked women. We have a whole circus full of lookers but you are the prettiest one.”  
   
Athena smiled and retrieved a pair of chicken salad sandwiches wrapped up in aluminum foil. .  “I liked you too. I just… well... you know… I was inexperienced… for my age. You were so kind.  But I couldn’t conceive that you had that kind of interest in me. I thought you were just… nice.”  
   
“My interest was and remains vast for you. I never dreamed I’d hitch up with a performer. I thought you were so… untouchable and special, compared to us roustabouts. But here we are.” She shifted the basket back, ignoring the food for the moment so she could sit right next to her girlfriend.    
   
Athena said, “Oh pshhh, I’m just a farm girl. I entertain and bake a tolerable apple pie. You do something that’s actually useful. You’re so good with machinery.”  
   
“Making money is pretty useful however you do it, in my opinion. Your act is amazing. I’m still your biggest fan.” She added with a roguish grin. “Also, I’ll have you know, your pie is fantastic.” She drew her tongue over her lower lip suggestively and glanced down at the fold of floral fabric covering Athena’s thighs.  
   
“Four years.” Athena’s cheeks colored as she toasted, lifting her glass. It was pure deflection, adorable in its modesty.  
   
Janey clinked glasses, her heart thrilling at still being able to make Athena blush after years lovemaking.  
   
Four years of probing lips, hands and tongues and the blade mistress still had a hard time even talking explicitly about sex without becoming rosy cheeked and shy. She made Janey think of of an incredibly sexy nun.  
   
Athena handed Janey one of the foil-wrapped sandwiches and then picked up one of her own and removed the wrap. “I made these.” she noted.  
   
“Ooooh. I wish you’d said so right away!” She crinkled and ripped the foil to get into the sandwich.  
   
Athena, like any farm girl worth her salt, was an excellent cook. Janey did okay on her own, but Athena’s culinary powers far exceeded her own.  
   
With the circus there was seldom need to prepare anything, so Janey mostly got to enjoy her talents in the off season. When she bit into the sandwich it tasted like a mouth full of heaven with crunchy celery and onion, creamy mustard and mayonnaise dressing and tender chicken. There were herbs that Janey was not sure of. All she knew is it was delicious. “This is so good.”    
   
Athena unwrapped a glass serving dish with cut up pieces of pink watermelon with fat, black seeds. “I’m glad you like it.”  
   
“You would have made a hell of a farmer's wife. I pity the boy you left at the altar.” Janey said with a smile. “But his loss is my gain.”  
   
Athena’s brow furrowed and she went silent and took a bite from her sandwich. She never wanted to talk about her almost marriage. The initial story was told only in vague terms that she had left home the day before her wedding.  
   
Janey knew little of it beyond that Athena had been pressured into accepting the engagement.  
   
There had been many stories Athena was willing to tell. She had told Janey about her frustrated childhood as a tomboy forced by social standards and religious expectations to be considered of less worth than her brothers.  
   
There were stories of her expectations of being condemned to the life of a wife and mother; miserable as her immigrant mother ever was. There were stories of Athena’s young sister, Artemis, who was born fragile and ill, and died too soon.  
   
She had also spoken often of the old farmhand who had changed her life.  
   
Judd was older than her father, a veteran of the old Wild West shows that used to be a popular traveling attraction. He got work on their farm when Athena was around ten years old. They developed a sort of kinship over the years. He would spend many hours regaling the girl with tales of his life on the road, performing stunts for cheering audiences. He later showed her both how to shoot and throw knives with precision. Even later than that he taught her how to fight when fighting was needed.  
   
Janey spoke cautiously, “Someday, Maybe… You could tell me what happened.” She busied herself eating a piece of watermelon. “I don’t mean to be pushy… but I want to know everything about you.”  
   
Athena sighed as he mulled it over. She seemed to come to a decision “It’s alright. You have a right to ask me.” She went quiet and pulled her thoughts together before saying, “I told you… about how my sister was always sick.” She sipped from her wine.  
   
“Yeah. The poor dear,” Janey nodded.  
   
“You know the reason I haven’t told you this is… I’m afraid… you will be disappointed in me.” She seemed sad, or at the very least uncomfortable.  
   
“I could never be. Athena... I haven’t always done the right things in life. We all have our regrets, don't we?” Janey smiled, encouraging her to continue.  
   
“Yeah.” Athena agreed. “My parents wanted me to marry the son of my Father’s friend. Their family had money and we were in a bad way financially. A few bad years of crops and my sister needing doctors and medicine… We owed the Deveaux’s money. I didn’t feel I had a choice.”  
   
“What was he like?” She ate while she listened, unable to help herself. The fruit was sweet and juicy and the sandwich delightfully savory.  
   
“A bully. A braggart. Acted like being engaged to me meant he could put his hands on me in any way he wanted. I let him, because we needed his family’s money.”  
   
Janey’s eyes narrowed, “I take back all previous sympathy for the bastard.”  
   
Athena’s pale eyes looked over to her and she gave the flicker of a grin. “I could handle him. He was big… and strong… but I was taught to fight larger, stronger opponents. I could have taken him if I had to.”  
   
“That’s my girl.” Janey beamed.  
   
Athena paused in her tale to take another bite. “So the wedding was planned… and… I resigned myself to it all… but a week or so before the day… Artemis had a… a seizure and she died in bed.”  
   
Janey wiped her hand on a cloth napkin from the basket and laid her hand on Athena’s thigh in quiet support.  
   
“Everyone was still insistent I get married. They told me it was still my duty. I asked for time to mourn her… but money had been spent… plans had been made and of all the opinions on the matter, mine was not needed.” She scoffed, “Even my mother was dead set on pressing ahead. They told me I could mourn as easy a wife as a maiden.”  
   
“You were what… eighteen?” Janey frowned as shea sked.  
   
“Sixteen,” Athena murmured.  
   
“I’m still not seeing the part where any of this was your fault.” Janey said, draining her glass of wine.  
   
The sun had been sinking into the west for a while now and was ready for its final descent against the horizon. The sky was still brilliant blue where they were, though it was still scattered with clouds. On the horizon the sky was pinkish orange.  
   
Athena finished her sandwich and washed it down with more wine before she continued, “I knew I had to leave. They’d never let me out of it and I wasn’t going to spend my days tied to that boorish son of a bitch. Old Judd found me outside, bawling like a baby.”  
   
Janey clucked her tongue in sad sympathy.  
   
“He told me I could do so much more. That I was different and special… and didn’t have to settle for that life. He borrowed a horse cart and smuggled me out later that night. He drove me down to the train station in New Orleans and paid his own money to put me on a train to meet an old associate of his in the entertainment business… and gave me money for the road. I worked in a few different circuses until I wound up with old Harold’s outfit.”  
   
Janey shook her head. “There’s no shame in any of that. That wasn’t who you were. Do you think you owed it to your parents?”  
   
“Didn’t I? I abandoned them. I never… looked back. Never bothered to see how they were… but It doesn’t matter really, because even if they’d take me back, I don’t think I could take them back.    
   
“In my opinion they didn’t deserve you.” Janey said succinctly and poured them each more wine.  
   
“I’m very happy with you, Janey.” Athena looked into her brown eyed girlfriend’s eyes and smiled. “Happier than I’ve ever really been. You showed me a whole world I couldn’t even have imagined possible.”  
   
“I’m really happy with you too. I love you and I don’t want to ever be separated. Hell or high water, we stick together,” Janey pledged.  
   
Athena nodded and swallowed. She lifted her fingers up and reached under the collar of her dress and removed a leather loop from around her neck. It was unadorned until from between her breasts she pulled out a simple golden band.  
   
Janey looked utterly gobsmacked. “Oh Athena!” she exclaimed and set down her glass.  
   
She pulled on one of the ends that tied the leather necklace together and slid the ring of of the string. Puffing herself up with a big breath she said, “I know we can’t make the idiots legally declare it, but it would be my honor if you would marry me, Janey Springs. I want you to be my wife. I want to be your wife. Marry me.” The end came out a bit rushed and stumbling. The brightness in her eyes caused Janey’s to well up.  
   
“Of course, Athena!” She held out her hand and Athena slid the ring onto it. “I love you. Oh my God, I’m going to marry the piss out of you!” With that she leaned into Athena’s space and pressed her lips to her fiance’s waiting mouth. They sank back against the blanket and kissed. Janey was uncharacteristically weepy and could not stop the tears from flowing.  
   
Eventually, Athena broke the kiss to smile at her. “You’re going to dehydrate yourself.”  
   
Janey laughed at the teasing and swiped away the tears, “I’m just so happy. Can we just… lay here a while.”  
   
Athena kept an arm around Janey’s hip so she could look at her face in the twilight. “We sure can. I have flashlight for our way back.”  
   
“That’s part of why I love you, Athena. You’re always prepared.”    
   
There was an embarrassed twitch of her lips as she bravely attempted some dirty talk. “When you’re  ready… I’m going to take you back to the trailer and we’re going to celebrate.” She paused a moment, unsure how to proceed before blurting out, “With sex… some very… good sex.”  
   
Janey snickered and snuggled against Athena. “If I’m involved sex’s only option is to be good.” She tried not to be prideful about many things, but her lovemaking technique was always an exception.  
   
“You’ll get no argument from me on that.” Athena said and laughed.  
   
Janey brushed her hand against the skin of the other woman’s cheek. “I’m pretty sure they don’t even make words fitting enough for the love I have for you. Thank you, for this new contender for the all time best nights of my life.”  
   
“You’re welcome.” Athena’s voice lowered into a purr, “I promise you, it’s just getting going.”  
   
The look on her face and the promise in her voice was all it took to change Janey’s mind about laying there under the growing darkness. “Oooooooh. Let’s pack up and go home.”  
   
Athena wasted no time. She knocked back her glass of wine and swiftly worked at packing up the basket.  
   
Janey laughed and finished her own final cup before helping to pack the basket back up.  
They worked quickly; quiet other than for little bits of giggling and laughter at their sudden need to go to their home.  
   
Athena lit the way with the silver flashlight while carrying the blanket. Janey carried the basket and open bottle of wine.  
   
The mechanic realized for the second time today that her mouth hurt because she could not stop smiling. She could get used to that.


End file.
